The Vigilante Wars: Origins
by Kem22
Summary: "We live in an age of magical inequality. A time where, instead of valuing each other, we seek to divide ourselves. Is this the legacy we want to leave? Is standing up for the basic rights of those around us such daunting, impossible tasks? We need to courage, we need conviction, we need heroes." -Demonstration#47 Vigilante Wars


**Chapter 1: Beginnings**

"_Hermes, I think I can do something else!_" Harry said excitedly, lifting his head so it met the bathroom mirror.

A small garden snake slithered up his shoulder before winding around his neck.

"_Come on let'ss ssee it." _The snake hissed.

Harry concentrated hard. The veins in his forehead began to bulge and his face flushed. Harry let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding.

"_There,_" Harry panted, "_can you see it?_"

"_I don't ssee anything human_" Hermes replied.

"_My eyes are a different green!_" Harry exclaimed. _"I could be like a shape shifter or something_."

Hermes lifted his head towards Harrys and regarded him inquisitively. Then, quick as a flash, he sunk his fangs into Harrys shoulder.

"_Ouch! What the bloody hell was that for?_" Harry cried, his hand jumping towards his shoulder.

"_You don't tasste like a sshapesshifter_." Hermes replied.

"_Have you ever tasted a shape shifter before?" _Harry said irritated, clutching his shoulder.

"_No. But if I do I sshall letss you know." _Hermes finished causing Harry to palm his face.

BANG BANG BANG

"Get out of there boy, you have yard work to finish and the Volvo needs a wash."

"Yes Uncle Vernon." Harry replied with a sigh.

Harry pulled out his sleeve, allowing Hermes to slither in and coil around his forearm. Hermes hissed contentedly in his favorite spot.

* * *

-oOo-

* * *

Harry spent another summer afternoon working through his chores in the Sun. He used to get upset at how many chores he was given, especially in comparison to his whale of a cousin Dudley, but he eventually had come to accept it. Actually, that's how he found his new best friend, Hermes, at the start of summer.

Harry had been doing some weeding for his Aunt Petunia when he came across quite a curious shouting coming from the garden.

"_Get away from me furry beast, or I sshall bite you into piecess_".

Harry inquisitively tried to find the source of the shouting but was instead met with one of the neighborhood cats. It belonged to Mrs Figg, he was pretty sure, an old lady from down the street. It appeared to be toying with a small garden snake.

"_Unhand me vile demon." _Came from the snake as the fluffy cat trapped him under it's paw. It was attempting to wriggle free, but to no avail.

"_Ah excuse me, but is that you talking_?" Harry asked the snake uncertainly.

"_Filthy human is sspeaking ssnake tongue? I'll desstroy you next once I have dealt with thiss one." _The snake replied.

Harry, not quite sure what to make of that shooed the cat away, freeing the snake from its clutches.

"_Yess, run away from my human minion. All are sscared of the great Hermess!"_ The snake shouted.

"_Umm...Right." _Harry said, bewildered.

"_You, squisshy human. How iss it that you sspeak the language of the sserpentss?" The snake questioned, angling its head at Harry._

"_I'm speaking snake?" _Harry asked. "_You just sound like you're speaking English, Err...Human to me."_

"_Unusual human." _The snake regarded him. "_But you sseem to cower the fluffy beast. You sshall become my minion in charge of beasst sslaying."_

"_I don't know about minion but we could be friends if you like._" Harry said, hopeful.

"_Friendsss..."_ The snake lingered on the word as if tasting it.

Slowly the snake bobbed its head.

"_Friendss we shall be."_

* * *

-oOo-

* * *

Ever since that day Harrys life had taken an upturn. For the first time in his life, Harry had someone to talk to. Harry would sneak Hermes into his cupboard at night and they would crawl up together talking about Harrys horrible relatives or things Hermes liked to bite.

Harry knew he had to be careful though around the Dursleys. If they caught sight of Hermes that would be the last he would see of his best and only friend.

"_Harry?" _Hermes hissed as he and Harry laid sprawled out on the lawn after the long day.

The sun was cresting on the horizon, surrounding the entire of Surrey with an orange glow. The cloud mottled sky looked painted, more canvas than reality.

"_Yeah Hermes?" _Harry replied.

"_What if your talentss include more than sspeaking and sshifting? We ssnakes have taless of speakerss of old. Wizardss' and Witchess who used to often mingle with our kind."_

Harry stayed quiet for a moment contemplating. He thought about all of the inexplicable occurrences that had happened throughout his life. The time Harrys hair grew back after Petunia had shaved it off just the night before. When he was younger and Dudleys toys would always somehow find their way into Harrys hands. The time Dudley and his gang of cronies was chasing him and he some how ended up on the roof of school.

"_Only one way to find out."_ Harry said. "_Tomorrow we start experimenting."_

* * *

_-_oOo-

* * *

Harry was awoken early the next day by the loud, thunderous footsteps of his cousin Dudley. Harry stirred in his small stairway cupboard. He knew he would be yelled at if he did not put breakfast on soon.

Slowly he plodded into the kitchen and heated up the frying pan. As he cooked a spread of sausages, bacon and eggs, his Auntie and Uncle sauntered into the kitchen and sat down. Vernon pretended to listen to Petunias latest bit of gossip while he read the financial times whilst Dudley was complaining about being hungry.

"Hurry up there boy." Vernon scolded. "My Dudders is a growing boy. He needs a hearty breakfast.

"Yes Uncle Vernon." Harry droned.

Harry brought the pan over to the dining table and began serving up. His Uncle and Cousin by far took the biggest shares. Harry on the other hand was allowed two slices of toast and a piece of fruit that he took outside to eat on the back porch.

Harry didn't mind not eating with his relatives. He preferred his solitude rather than having to endure the Dursleys as company.

"_Good morning minion." _Hermes said, slithering out of the grass.

"_FRIENDS remember? I am not your minion." _Harry replied.

"_Oh yess. Ssilly me."_ Hermes said unconvincingly.

"_You know, you don't have to go hunting anymore. I can steal food from the kitchen whenever you need it." _Harry said.

"_Yess, but I am a predator. I musst stay ssharp_." Hermes hissed.

"_Whatever." _Harry said, rolling his eyes. "_So where do you think we should start today?"_

"_You iss being the human. I know nothing of your magickss."_ Hermes replied.

"_But I thought-" _Harry was interrupted.

"-_I ssaid I have heard of taless of wizard kind yess. I have not the knowledge of how they preformed their magickss."_

"_Well that's helpful." _Harry sighed. "_Guess we're doing this in the dark_."

"_Perhapss not." _Hermes started. "_If you are a Wizard it standss to ssay that your parentss may alsso have been Wizardss."_

Harrys brow frowned in concentration. He had little knowledge of his parents. All his Aunt Petunia had told him was that they had died in a car crash.

"_It's possible I guess._" Harry concluded. "_But I don't have anything of my parents."_

"_What about your blood matess?_" Hermes said, referring to Harrys relatives.

"_I suppose Petunia might have something of my mums but I have no idea where-"_

Realisation suddenly hit Harry like the cool winters chill. The locked trunk in the attic. Harry must have cleaned that attic a hundred times throughout his childhood. Right at the back, buried in boxes, was a red leather trunk surrounded in strong steel chains. When Harry had first questioned Petunia about it she had screamed at him that it was none of his business tripled his chores for that week. Harry had never asked about it again.

Hermes cocked his head inquisitively at Harry.

"_In the Dursleys Attic there's a locked box_." Harry rushed excitedly. _"Petunia nearly bit my head off when I asked her about it. If there's anything belonging to my parents it will be in there._"

Harry grinned like an idiot before realising he had no way of getting through the large steel chains and lock surrounding the trunk. Petunia must have a key for it somewhere, Harry thought. Most likely hidden though, considering the unusual amount of protection the trunk had.

* * *

-oOo-

* * *

Harry had his chance to search the house three days later when the Dursleys left him at the house while they went into the city. His Uncle Vernon would not leave until he had given Harry more than enough work to keep him occupied.

"I don't want you slacking about boy." Vernon blubbered down his many chins. "Petunia and I slave away to keep this house over your head and food in your belly. AND all out of the goodness of our hearts I tell you."

Petunia too looked to be in agreement. Harry rolled his eyes inwardly. Harry had earned his keep in the house a hundred times over.

As soon as his relatives left Harry rushed through all of the chores on his Uncles list. It was not up to his usual standard of work but would most likely appease his Aunty and Uncle.

Harry and Hermes then began to scour the house looking for the key to open the lock for the chains around the mysterious trunk. They began in the master bedroom, careful to return everything they moved back into place, and then moved into the other rooms.

They found many keys of various shapes and sizes but none that would fit in the large lock holding the chains in place. Harry was getting so frustrated he began to cry.

In a last act of desperation Harry grabbed the bulky bolt cutters from the garden shed and tried them on the lock. Harrys arms were too lean to apply the proper leverage though and he barely dented the hardened steel.

Harry threw down the bolt cutters and dropped to his knees in front of the trunk.

"_It's so close Hermes!_" Harry cried in frustration.

Hermes crawled up Harrys neck and nuzzled him in a rare bout of affection.

"_We will find another way hatchling." _Hermes said comfortingly.

"_I know we will." _Harry said, defeated._ "It's just ever since I can remember I've always made up stories about what my parents were like. But in here could be what they were really like. No more stories...Real"_

Harry held the lock in his hands that was creating all of his misery. How could such a simple thing cause so much heartache. He wished that it would unlock and answer all the questions he realised he'd been asking all his life.

*Click*

Harry felt the lock shift in his hand. For a moment Harry didn't realise what had happened. Then, still in shock, Harry tentatively turned the lock open and dropped it onto the floor.

"_Hermes!"_ Harry shouted excitedly.

Shaken out of his stupor Harry began unraveling the mess of chains. It didn't take long before the trunk lay bare before him.

Harry took a moment to carefully examine the trunk. Just above the center latch he noticed some lettering etched into the frame, once obscured by the chains.

**Lily Evans**

Harry almost whooped with glee.

"_This IS my mothers trunk._" Harry announced.

"_Well, are you going to open it?" _Hermes said to the nervous boy.

Harry unfastened the latches with shaking hands. He held the lid at each side and carefully raised the lid.

Both Harry and Hermes leaned in to view the contents of the trunk. Inside was a treasure trove of photos and books. Atop them all was a broken wax sealed letter.

Harry put the letter aside and began sifting through the photographs.

The first couple were of a young Petunia and another young girl. She had flowing red hair and emerald green eyes. Realisation flooded through Harry. I'm looking at my mother, he thought.

"_I have my mums eyes._" Harry whispered.

Harry began to pull out more and more photos. The next one caused Harry to jump in alarm. It held the picture of an older version of his mum and a man with rectangular spectacles and a familiar mop of messy black hair.

The most alarming thing about the photo though was that the people in them were moving. They were both huddled up, draped in large winter coats, as they waved to Harry. Their faces lit up with smiles as Harry watched.

"Mum, Dad?" Harry questioned.

Harry touched the photo as if trying to enter the world where his parents were still alive. His parents just continued to smile and wave occasionally. Harry realised that the photo merely captured various actions and replayed them much like a looped video.

Tears ran down Harrys face as he went through the piles of scattered photos. Most of the other people in the photos he didn't recognise. They were usually in the oddest outfits though. Long billowing robes and the like. There was another giant of a man who stood out. He towered over his parents in the photograph. He had a thick scraggly beard and a wide smile plastered on his face.

With no other living relatives all of my mothers personal things must have gone to Petunia, thought Harry.

Harry scooped up all the photos he had pulled out and began searching through the other items of the trunk.

Harry found a bunch of books with unusual titles like _'Most Potente Potions' _and a set of self written journals such as _'Useful Charms'_. One book that stood out though was a well worn leather diary.

Harry opened it to see pages upon pages of entries from his mother. This was an accounting of his mothers life he realised. Out of everything in the trunk Harry deemed this the most valuable.

Harry opened the pages to the earliest entries.

* * *

**July 21****st**

**IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!**

**I am now eleven! Don't feel much different but Mum and Dad got me this cool red Diary to write in. All my friends came today. Even Severus came who never hangs out with my other friends. Mum thinks he's a bit strange but I like him. **

**Also I got a strange letter in the post today. An invitation to 'Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry'. Mum and Dad laughed when I showed them the letter. It actually said that I could bring either a cat an owl or a toad. I'd think this was a joke from Petunia but the letter was written in flawlessly penned ink. Guess I'll just have to wait until their 'representative' shows up tomorrow to see who the prankster is.**

* * *

**July 22****nd**

**It's all true! A small man who called himself Professor Flitwick showed up at the house today claiming to be from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mum and Dad thought he was a loon at first but then he began to do all sorts of magic for us.**

**He made all the furniture walk around the room** **and even made Dad float. It looked like so much fun I asked him to make me float as well. Petunia didn't want to. I asked if Petunia could come too but he said that only I could because I was born special. I don't think Petunia liked that, she hasn't talked to me since.**

**Anyway tomorrow were are going to a place called Diagon Alley to get my school gear. It's through some pub called the Leaky Cauldron apparently. I don't think I've heard of any shop in London that sells cauldrons and wands.**

**I can't wait!**

* * *

"_What doess it ssay?" _Hermes questioned.

"_It's all true." _Harry said. "_Witches, Wizards, wands, all of it."_

"_Wand you ssay?"_

"_Yeah. I wonder if my mums is with all this stuff." _Harry replied, moving through his mothers things.

Harrys saw the handle of something poking out from under some of the clutter. Harry grabbed at it revealing a wooden stick around nine inched long. It had a carved handle and was made out of what looked like ash or birch tree.

"_So this must be a wand."_ Harry said almost reverently.

"_Doess it do ssomething?" _Hermes asked.

"_I don't know." _Harry said and swished the stick about. He felt a warmth creep up his arm and sparks began to fly out of the end.

Harry spent the next few minutes waving the wand about but all he managed to do was shoot more sparks.

"_I guess there's more to this thing than just waving._"Harry said.

"_Maybe I sshould try." _Hermes proposed.

"_Yeah that would work." _Harry laughed. _"It's almost as big as you are."_

"_There could be ssnake wizardss." _Hermes said in mock affront.

"_Yes and I'm sure they all have tiny snake wands." _Harry said smiling at the thought.

Harry looked back to the letter he had pulled aside. It had a long since broken, golden wax seal. The seal appeared to be the symbol of a dragon atop a pile of gold. It's long tail curled around the pile almost protectively.

* * *

**Petunia Dursley**

**The reading of the last will and testament for the late Lily and James Potter will be held on November 5****th**** at 10am. If you, or your ward Harry Potter, are unable to attend all entitlements will be held by the Bank indefinitely until claim is laid.**

**Director Ragnok**

**Gringotts Bank (322 Diagon Alley)**

* * *

Harry stared at the letter. He had an inheritance? Harry had never thought of his parents leaving him anything. How dare Petunia keep this from him, Harry thought.

"_My parents, they left me an inheritance. I've spent my entire life wanting to know about my parents and my relatives have kept them from me this entire time._" Harry's face darkened. "_No more, Hermes. I'm leaving this place. For good."_

"_Where youss go Hermess will follow." _Hermes dipped his head.

"_Thank you friend." _Harry smiled. "_If I'm going to do this I need to handle this right."_

Harry pocketed the wand and diary and put everything else back in the trunk. Harry then began to wrap the chains back around the trunk in a way that he could slide them off easily again even when locked.

Harry was just raising the ladder to the attic when the Dursleys finally arrived home.

"Where are you boy?" Harrys uncle shouted. "Come and get the bags out of the car."

"Yes Vernon." Harry sighed.

"And I want dinner on the table in half an hour. Me and Dudders have worked up a mans appetite today."

Somehow Harry doubted that but he grunted in affirmation regardless.


End file.
